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Topic: Blessed (11/29/04)
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TITLE: Just One of Those Days By Kathy Cartee 12/02/04 |
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I was scheduled to preach the New Year’s service at the ladies prison the following night and the phone was ringing off the hook. One team-member after another was calling to say they had come down with the flu. They would not be able to go with us to the prison. The “us” that I am speaking of denotes the remainder of the eight-member ministry team, which was getting smaller as the day went by and myself. By the end of the day it was down to “just the two of us”, my best friend Gail, and “little ole’ me”. I knew that I had better give Gail a call and make sure she did not have the flu too. It was much to late to cancel the meeting.
Gail answered on the second ring, “Hello”
“Hello, How is your day going?”
“Pretty good, I’ve been getting the music ready for the chapel service tomorrow.”
“Do you have the message ready?”
“Well I am working on it but still have a ways to go.”
“ I was calling to see if you had heard about the flu that is ravaging so many people at church.”
“I heard something about it; I think it started spreading throughout the congregation after the fellowship dinner a few nights ago. Why?”
“Well, it seems that the entire prison ministry team was at that dinner and now they’re all in bed with the flu. My phone has been ringing all day. It looks like we are on our own.”
“ You have got to be kidding! How do you think just the two of us can do the whole service? The singers and counselors are all sick?”
I did not dare let her know at this point that I did not even have a message to preach.
Gail was still talking and my mind had wondered off for a few seconds until I heard her say, “Kathy, You know how down I have been lately, I almost feel backslidden; I was counting on the praise and worship team to shoulder most of the worship service.”
“ Don’t worry Gail, it will work out fine”. Just as I said before, every thing that could go wrong was going wrong. It was just one of those days!
We arrived at the women’s prison the next day and were greeted by a chapel filled with about two hundred women who were ready for “church”. I sat praying desperately saying, “Okay Lord; I still do not have a message. You have to help me, my time has run out!”
Then Gail started the praise and worship portion of the service. Wow! It was simply the most anointed worship I have ever been in; she begin to sing,” And I Will Rise on Eagle’s Wings.” Before I knew what I was doing I was dancing across the front of the altar area and felt that I actually was soaring on the wings of an eagle right up into the throne room of God. We could all feel the Holy Spirit drawing us into His presence.
It was now time for the message. I stepped to the platform and said, “Please open your Bibles to The Song of Solomon, chapter 3 verse 1. “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him but I found him not.” (KJ)
I opened my mouth and God filled it with a message, one that I could never have put together myself. It was Awesome! I knew this message came straight from the throne of God. As I concluded the message with an altar call, Gail joined me at the front to pray for those who came forward with needs. Chairs were being pushed back across the room as the women began to flood the altar area. We stood in amazement as every woman in the place, with the exception of two, came forward for prayer. If you want to talk about blessed, this is it. That night as God moved mightily the name of our ministry, “Eagle Wings” was birthed. What can I say? Nothing other than what started out as one of those days ended up being one of those blessed days! A very good beginning for the New Year and a new ministry name too!